


Petrichor

by pan2fel



Series: Of Beasts And Men [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Shifter!Nyx, Whump, adding cultural backgrounds as I please, hurt Cor, hurt Nyx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:51:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14371293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pan2fel/pseuds/pan2fel
Summary: Cor finds a captured coeurl in an  abandoned Nifbase. After freeing it he thinks his good deed is done, until he realizes that he is being stalked.





	Petrichor

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the nature of the beast](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827544) by [notavodkashot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notavodkashot/pseuds/notavodkashot). 



He found the coeurl in an abandoned Nifbase right outside Niflheim's borders. It was chained to a wall with a short leash, left there to die. The signs of struggle surrounded the beast, claw marks had forged deep gouges into the ground surrounding it, but now the chain was lying limply on the floor. It had given up and accepted its fate. Its once majestic pelt was peppered with scars of abuse, matted to its thin frame, the collar binding it was deeply embedded into its neck, the surrounding area bloody and ripped, as if it had tried to get rid of it on its own.

Their eyes met - man and beast. He was standing in the entrance to the cell, taking in the devastation. The coeurl's whiskers twitched weakly, with no build-up of electricity. It only stared, lying on its side, ribs protruding and eyes full of defeat. He must be the first living being it saw but even in its weakened and hopeless state there was a deep growl emanating from its throat when he stepped closer. Claws emerged more for show than actual threat. This wasn't right, Cor thought, as he stepped even closer, the eyes following him distrustfully, the tension growing. It seemed that even though it had given up on getting out of the chains, it still wasn't ready to die, but even if he freed it, he doubted it had much chance of survival. It would become the next meager meal of another predator quickly, but at least if would go down fighting. Its tail started to twitch nervously, but it didn't move otherwise - couldn't. Cor sighed and took a closer look at the chain binding it to the wall. He wouldn't be able to just cut through it with his weapons and he wasn't going to go anywhere near it to loosen the collar. Even a downed beast was still a beast. The constant growling only undermined that fact, even though it got weaker with exhaustion the longer he stayed. It wasn't going to be able to keep going much longer, but it still deserved a fighting chance. He neared the wall and inspected the padlock. Impossible to open with paws, but quickly falling open in his own deft hands. The chain fell away and he remained crouched, watching the now freed beast. It didn't move at first, unsure what had just happened. Its intelligent eyes scrutinized him with mistrust, eyeing the fallen chain for a few moments before its eyes flickered back to Cor. After another moment of silence it slowly got to its feet, swaying in the process, the malnutrition and abuse now clearer than ever. It watched him with weary eyes, hesitating, as Cor tried to be as non-threatening as possible. He doubted it would go after him, even though it must be hungry. The coeurl's eyes flickered between him and the door, before it bounded out, making the biggest arc around him. He heard it crash into a wall, stumbling and falling, the chain too long, clanking on the ground, interrupting the silence of the base. He could hear the chain clattering while the beast tried to find a way out.

Cor forgot about it quickly, too distracted on scouring the base for information and useful tech. It wasn't until he was camped out in the nearest haven that night, that he thought of it again. He was wondering if it had made it, or if it had just died outside the base, too weak to go on. At least he hadn't seen it around anymore when he had left.

Over the next couple of days he noticed that he was being followed and no matter how much the other tried to conceal its presence, Cor noticed. The movement out of the corner of his eye, the rustling of leaves, the clanking of chains and the glowing eyes following him through the darkness. It wasn't hard to guess who his follower was, the only question was why. He didn't have a lot to offer. He was trekking alone through the Tenebraen wilderness, trying to stay under the radar on his way back from his last mission. In his own opinion, he didn't even look tasty, but maybe the coeurl thought differently. It didn't get any closer, but he started leaving scraps of food behind whenever he broke camp. They seemed to have come to an agreement, Cor let it trail his path for whatever reasons it had, leaving food behind and it didn't try to attack him. However, he doubted it would pose much of a challenge at the moment. It wasn't until a few days later, that he was woken by the sounds of an uneven fight. He had gotten used to demons prowling outside havens at night, wielding their weapons, trying to get inside before they gave up. He had been safe, but the coeurl not so much, it seemed. He heard the unmistakable hissing and growling in the darkness, the padding of heavy feet on the floor and saw the occasional lighting of electrified whiskers. But the light died down just as soon as it became visible, followed by desperate mewling. Cor pinched the bridge of his nose. Was he really going to take on a giant to defend a coeurl? He had to admit he was intrigued by its weird behaviour. He sighed, grabbing his katana from beside him and left the safe borders of the haven. Darkness surrounded him after a few steps and he turned on the light clipped to his chest, following the sounds. Maybe it wasn't even his coeurl. A snort escaped him at the thought. The only good demon was a dead demon, so why not kill a few while he was kept awake anyway. He followed the sounds easily enough, the vicious growling and fighting had died down, but he was still hearing the sound of the giant. It was growling and staring into a gap in a rock formation, trying to get in. Cor could hear angry and desperate hissing from within, the coeurl trapped with no way to escape. He hoped he wouldn't regret it.

Ten minutes later he was cursing under his breath, damning the day he had decided fighting a red giant just for fun to rescue a stupid coeurl, who was probably going to eat him afterwards, was a good idea. He hit the ground with a loud thud, skidding to a halt a few feet away. Stupid, Leonis, real stupid. He cursed himself. He had managed to distract the giant, luring it away in an offer of easier bait, but all the good it did was making himself the target. The coeurl didn't join the fight. Why should it when all Cor was able to do was get in a few good hits, before needing to make a tactical retreat. He was dodging through the woods, never straying too far from the relative safety of the haven. The giant was following and so was half of Tenebrae's demon infestation. He was able to take some of them by just barreling through, hoping that the giant would trample the rest instead of teaming up. It was roaring in anger as it ran behind him, only being slowed down by the dense vegetation of the land. Which probably was the sole reason he made it back to the haven in one piece. 

Bad idea! Been there, done that, never do it again, he thought as he climbed the slope and turned around. The giant was running against the invisible barrier, its prey, that had seemed so easy to catch, suddenly gone. Cor watched the attempts of the giant trying to reach him within the safe confines of the haven as he tried to get his breath under control. A laugh escaped him and he thought about what he had just done and for what reasons. He shook his head and turned around, lying down on his previously abandoned sleeping bag and waited for dawn to kill the demon. He hadn't planned on falling asleep, but when he woke again the sun had been out for a few hours already. He started to gather his things but stopped short when he noticed the pile of mostly dead animals piling up right outside the boundaries of the haven. His eyes lifted, scanning the immediate area, and without a doubt, there it was, sitting hidden between the trees, watching him. His eyes fell back onto the pile of offerings.

"Huh," he said, looking back up. The coeurl was still there. What a weird creature. Cor took a tentative step outside the haven's boundaries, crouching over the pile of offerings, inspecting them. When he lifted his eyes again, the coeurl had gotten closer, watching him. It was sitting still, as if it had never moved. "What, you want it back?" he asked incredulous, the coeurl sneered, his tail flicking from side to side. Cor took one of the fish and retreated back behind the boundaries of the haven, watching the creature. It took a few moments but it slowly got up and limped closer. It looked bad, visibly starved and abused. The past days in freedom hadn't done it any favors, its coat was even dirtier than before, matted with dried blood. There were new lacerations on its flank, maybe from the fight the previous night. Overall it looked more exhausted and on the brink of death than threatening. Under all the dirt Cor could recognize the majestic beast it must have once been. In the sunlight it didn't look like the coeurls he knew from Duscae and Leide. The usually brown coat was white instead, it was much larger, with distinct patterns on its paws beside the normal dotwork that was particular to coeurls. Cor frowned, the fish still clutched in his hand. It had some kind of crown-like horns framing its face, accompanying the deadly, tentacle-like whiskers. There was only one place where he had ever encountered this specific type of coeurl and even then only in drawings.

"You're a long way from home, my Galahdian friend," he muttered, eliciting a nervous twitch from the beast. It was currently trying to take as much of its earlier offerings between its massive jaws as possible, before bounding a safe distance away again. It would have looked elegant if it hadn't stumbled and fallen halfway across the clearing, losing half its prey. It seemed hesitant for a moment, looking back over its shoulder before just leaving them behind and retreating back into the safety of the lush trees. The coeurl did stop there, however, obviously deeming the distance safe enough. Cor watched it go, his gaze falling on the fish in his hand.

After breakfast he gathered the rest of his things and set out, his friend had vanished again, but he could still hear it following him throughout the day. Its heavy footsteps combined with the clanking sound of the long chain was unmistakable. He still didn't know why it was following him, but he had gotten used to its constant presence over the last few days. Cor tried to avoid settlements and, if it was possible, clusters of animals as well. He had no intention of fighting all his way back home. This afternoon he set up camp early. He had hunted enough beasts to prepare a feast, or feed a very big coeurl. Maybe. He sat outside the haven, in the middle of the woods, his spoils lying a few feet away and he waited. The coeurl must know he was here, probably even knew what he was trying to accomplish, so it waited as well. Cor felt its gaze and restlessness so he tried to be as inconspicuous as he dared to be, pretending to let his guard down. His katana was lying next to him but no one could fault him for that. His eyes were closed and he waited, feeling the early evening sun shining on his face. When he opened them again, the coeurl was sitting in front of him, scrutinizing him, the chain clutched into its jaws. Smart, he admitted. It was clearly poised to jump away at the smallest indication of danger, its muscles tense, but its eyes full of hunger and yearning, eyeing the dead animal and Cor in quick succession. Cor suppressed a smile, "It's yours if you want it." Suspicion shone in the coeurl's eyes, but before he could blink twice it grabbed the offering and dragged it away a few feet inelegantly. The chain tangled between its legs, dragging its head down when it accidently stepped on it. Cor winced while the feline beast grunted and dropped its prize and flopped down unceremoniously. It eyed him again with suspicion, but when he didn't move and only watched, it began to tear into the hide, clawing it open. Mission accomplished.

When he got up the coeurl growled, putting one of its massive paws onto the carcass telling him in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't get it back. Cor snorted. "You can keep it, I don't want it back," he offered, hoping that it would pacify his companion. He took a step closer, the growling got more intense, so he lifted his hands in a placating gesture. He had even left his sword behind. The coeurl watched him closely, blood dripping from its muzzle, but it neither attacked nor ran, it only stayed. Cor took a step, then another and then one more. The tail of the beast began to flicker aggressively and it cowered over its prey, half lying, half poised to jump. Cor wasn't sure if it would attack or bolt away, so he sat down again, closer than before, but not yet in touching distance. This was probably another one of his stupid ideas, but he needed to know. He watched the tension slowly bleed out of its frame and it tentatively started to eat again, growling whenever he inched a tiny bit closer - but it stayed. They continued this dance for a while, him inching closer, the coeurl growling before relaxing again, letting him get closer even more. Neither of them was dumb enough to think the other didn't notice, they both were aware that they just let this happen consciously for whatever reasons. Cor was intrigued. The coeurl was now watching him constantly, eyes never leaving him, it pressed himself to the ground, but didn't run away. Cor tentatively lifted his hand, the tail flickered and the distinct sound of static crackled through the air, he hesitated, meeting the deep blue intelligent eyes of the creature beside him. It would probably be able to bite off his whole arm if it wanted. Cor took a deep breath and carefully lowered his hand into the coeurl's fur, right behind its ear and above its collar. It flinched and growled, but didn't move away, staring at him intensely. They stayed like this for a long moment as the sun began to set. He had never expected for this to work, for the other to stay this long and this still. Now that it did happen, he wasn't sure how to go on. His hand instinctively started to rub through the fur, earning himself a low rumbling purr. When his hand accidentally brushed against the collar, the coeurl flinched away, hissing, electricity crackling around them without hitting him directly. Its ears were flattened against its head, its fur bristling with the static of electricity, standing in all directions. It growled, eyes shining in pain.

"Let me have a look, alright?" They stared at each other again, trying to gauge the others reaction and intention. Cor stayed seated, his hand still raised as if the coeurl hadn't moved away. Its whiskers whipped around in what seemed to be aggression but could only be fear. It inched closer again, letting him near the collar, still rumbling threateningly in its throat. Cor repositioned himself to get a better look, he carefully felt out the collar, pushing away fur. What he saw wasn't pretty. The collar had been buried deep inside its neck, the skin around it raised in infection, angry red and warm. The coeurl whimpered. "Shhhhhh," he said, trying to find a lock as gently as possible, but without success and when he hit an especially sore and wet spot, the coeurl lashed out. It hissed angrily, the whiskers hitting him full force in the chest, throwing him back several feet while the beast bolted away. Cor groaned, his muscles still spasming with electricity, as he lay on his back. "Shit." He was glad the coeurl was so weak at the moment, or he probably wouldn't have survived this. He rolled onto his side and took several breaths before he tried to get up. His knees buckled when he finally did and he fell hard to the ground again, needing more time than he would have liked. He dragged himself upright, arm rubbing his chest with a grimace, when his eyes landed on the messy, bloody area he had just been sharing with the coeurl. It was gone and a look around revealed nothing at all. Cor sighed, before slowly making his way back to the safety of the haven, where he slumped down in front of the fireplace.

When he got up the next morning the coeurl was back again, sitting in front of the rock formation that built the haven, its eyes flickering everywhere but Cor, as if it felt guilty. It had brought him another fish. "I feel judged for my consumption of cup noodles...," he told it, while taking the fish. The coeurl flicked its tail, huffing out a breath as if it was laughing at him. Cor narrowed his eyes. The beast stared back again, all guilt forgotten. He smoked the fish over the fire before settling down in front of his weird stalker. This time he didn't hesitate and the coeurl didn't shy away. It was still growling over its own food, however. They ate in companionable silence, Cor studying the ragged appearance before him, while the beast ripped apart its prey. He wasn't sure how it was still going, still walking, still hunting. Either it wasn't as badly wounded as he thought it was, or something else was amiss. When the coeurl was done it eyed Cor's fish, cleaning the blood off its snout. Cor didn't share. "You want us to try again to get the collar off?" It huffed another breath and didn't move, just stared into Cor's eyes as if to judge his soul. He took it as approval and got closer again, unsure what drove him to risk another electrical shock.

"If you shock me, I will kill you, do you understand?" he threatened and in response the hairs on his arms stood up with static. He narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth, before gently starting to prod the collar again. They were both standing this time, both tense and nervous. Cor tried to be more gentle. He removed the chain first, knowing that it had been a constant struggle, making it trip and stuck on small bushes. It fell to the ground with a loud clatter. The coeurl’s ears twitched and some of the tension bled out of its shoulders. The skin he touched was still hot, the collar deeply buried inside the coeurl's neck, bringing about a festering infection. It growled deep in its throat, but the resentment seemed to be focused more on the memory itself than as a threat to him. Cor frowned when he didn't find a latch, lock, or buckle, as if the collar had always been there, as if it was part of the beast and not part of the torture. "There is no opening mechanism on the outside, I will see if it's on the inside, but it will hurt," he hesitated for a moment, but when nothing happened, apart from the nervous flick of its tail, he tried to pry his fingers underneath the collar. The coeurl yelped and flinched away, but didn't bolt, it's claws were leaving deep gouges on the ground, as it endured Cor's hands on its neck. The growling got louder the longer it took, mixed with sounds of desperation and pain. Its ears were flattened against its head, and when Cor accidently reopened a wound that had closed over the collar. It snarled and tried to pull away, no matter that Cor's fingers were still hooked tightly underneath the collar. Even in its weakened state it dragged him along and he had to plant his feet firmly on the ground to keep standing. The panic rose and it tried to buck away without hurting him. It tried to get him to pull the collar off even though its head would never fit. The whine grew louder, interspersed with an aggressive growl, it tore and pulled and even lifted its paw to scratch at the collar.

"Ah, shit. Stop it, stop it," Cor yelled, his hands still trapped. The coeurl stopped dead in its tracks, ears flat, teeth bared, paws set apart as if it was ready to defend itself. "It's not going to work. It won't fit over your head and all you're doing is making it worse," he scolded it, as if it would understand him. A keening whine escaped it. A mixture of blood and pus covered Cor's hands, as he pulled them free. The coeurl bolted, but stopped a few feet away. "Well, shit." He cleaned his hands on his trousers with a disgusted grimace, eyes following the coeurl. Its neck was stained red, the dirty fur glistening in the sun. It looked at him with sad, angry eyes, before turning around. There was nothing graceful about it anymore. It was stumbling and dragging, limping and heavily favoring one of its paws. Cor wasn't sure he would see it again or if it was retreating to die. It certainly looked like it.

He didn't see it for the next few days as he slowly made his way home. The lush forests of Tenebrae gave way to the mountainous terrain and lakes of Cleigne. He had managed to evade several dropships by pure luck now that he had left the safety of the trees. But he would manage, he had made it through Niflheim, he would make it home. It was on the fourth day when he thought he saw the white fur through the shrubbery again. Cor stropped in his tracks, taking a closer look. The sun was already setting but it was unmistakably his coeurl staring at him from a few feet away. "So you're not dead yet," he murmured and kept going, seeing the snarl only out of the corner of his eyes. He laughed lightly, but slowed down and to his surprise the coeurl joined him, walking beside him. They watched each other carefully while walking together, both wary and exhausted, but in the mood for company. Together they followed the distinct trail of smoke of the haven, keeping to the shadows as much as they could. The beast didn't limp as much anymore as it had before, but Cor actually doubted it had healed and probably just grew used to the pain so much that it didn't care anymore. Its coat was still dirty and matted even worse than before, its steps slow, but steady. He absentmindedly raised his hand, burying it deep within the other's coat. It elicited a surprised yip and a suspicious stare, before the feline pushed him roughly to the ground and trotted on. Cor looked dumbstruck. He could almost hear the laughter. It looked back over its shoulder, eyes glowing blue in the dim light of dust, watching him get up again. When he caught up, it bumped into him again, making him stumble, but he grabbed its fur tightly to stay upright and earned himself an indignant squawk in return. He chuckled.

The next day brought them rain and while Cor scowled at the sky, trying to bury deeper into his jacket the coeurl started to light up. It ran in circles, bounding through puddles, roaring with the thunder. Its whiskers crackled with electricity in response to the lightning and even though its attempts were futile, its roar only a weak imitation of its former glory, it didn't care. The enthusiasm almost made Cor forget that they were walking through a thunderstorm. "Must be the infamous, Galahdian love for storms. If you have such a deep connection with Ramuh, make him stop," Cor joked and the coeurl roared directly into his face in exasperation, supported by the loud rumble of thunder, before it bounded away, seemingly joining Ramuh, unleashing his wrath on the world.

This evening they camped together, much to Cor's surprise. The coeurl didn't leave. It just sat outside the haven, face directed towards the sky and enjoying the drizzle. The storm had died down, leaving only the rain behind. It was covering the world, taking away the edges of reality with its soft spray. Cor set up camp and joined the loudly purring beast back down again. "I thought you were dead." Its tail twitched and its eyes met Cor's in such a deadpan look that his lips quirked into a smile. The rain had cleaned the dirt and blood away, revealing all that was underneath. Cor's smile fell as his eyes wandered over the body. Angry red scars glistened between white fur. The wounds seemed to be healing and there wasn't a lot Cor would have been able to do anyway. He sighed, not noticing the dangerous twitch in the others posture. The paw pulling his feet from under him and making him fall flat onto his back came out of nowhere. The air left his lungs as the coeurl suddenly stood over him, growling into his face. "Okay, I get it, you're fine." The grumbling intensified, sounding almost content as the coeurl just lay down on top, burying him completely underneath. It took Cor a few minutes to wiggle himself out from underneath the massive body of the coeurl, earning himself an unimpressed look and a wet tongue to his face. He looked at him out of narrowed eyes. "What about that paw," he asked and bumped his boot against it without warning. The coeurl snarled viciously, but didn't move away, making Cor frown. He inspected the limb more closely, prodding it gently. The paw was swollen and warm, especially compared to the other. It looked and felt broken, as if toes were ruined and hurt. The coeurl whimpered. "I don't know why you're following me. You won't heal if you keep going." That only earned him a deep rumble he didn't know how to interpret. They spent the rest of the evening in silence, listening to the rainfall.

The coeurl didn't stop following and Cor gave up trying to unravel the mystery. He just accepted that his companion seemed to have its own will, seemed to be smart enough to understand and communicate with him. It would make a good hunting buddy, he thought.

They crossed Cleigne on foot. This was not how Cor had planned his journey to go, but he couldn't just hitch a ride without leaving the coeurl behind. The thought alone felt wrong and as a consequence Cor just accepted his fate. They made it through Cleigne and Duscae without complications. Even though the coeurl stubbornly kept going, it healed slowly. The limp was still there, sometimes more present than others, but the infections seemed to have died down, not that Cor was allowed to get too close, or even touch. They avoided civilization and apart from the occasional dropship or beast they got through just fine. Cor had been right, his companion was a vicious hunter and good ally. He still looked thin and the weeks on the road did only so much, but he had lost that desperate edge of someone starving. They got along. Sometimes the coeurl left his side, Cor didn't know where it went and what it did, he just kept going, certain that the beast would return. It was one of those moments that found Cor in a dire situation. He had made the mistake of assuming the deep rumble behind belonged to his friend, but when another joined and another, he cursed his complacency and started to run without looking back, drawing his katana in the process. He needed to find a vantage point or he would die close to home, becoming one of the many dog tags buried in the dusty grounds of Leide. The coeurls followed, cornering him against an outcrop of rocks, that gave him no way to escape but covered his back. They were vicious, snarling beasts, their electricity crackling through the air and they looked nothing like his coeurl. Nothing. Cor bared his teeth and attacked. He wouldn't go down without a fight. 

It felt like they were toying with him. Their electricity hit him again, making him writhe on the floor, his thoughts scattered for the moment, but they didn't go for the kill. They swiped their paws at him, flinging him across the ground, before he rolled to a stop in the dirt. His limbs still twitched with the aftershocks and his lungs desperately needed to expand again, while he tried to get his arms under him to get upright again. One of the coeurls attacked. Cor rolled onto his back, but there was only so much he could do to prevent it from ripping his throat out. The katana was lying several feet away. It bit down on his raised arm and Cor screamed in pain while he tried to get his small dagger out of its sheath. The coeurl bit down harder and he roared, stars were dancing in front of his eyes and he almost lost the grip on his weapon again. The beast shook him viciously and he managed to bury the dagger deep into its throat, before it flung him across the ground. Shit. He heard its gurgling angry roar and hoped that he had at least taken down one of them. The pain in his arm was overwhelming and he choked back a scream as he tried to sit up again. He swayed dangerously, his knees almost buckling beneath him when he was finally upright, his left arm was dangling uselessly at his side and it took him a moment to take in the sight before him. One of the coeurls lay dead to the side, the others prowling around him, promising death and pain. They stared at each other, the sun setting in the background. What a poetic way to die, Cor thought, idly wondering where his companion was. They attacked and he tried his best to jump out of the way, avoiding their claws, to jump after his weapon. His hand curled around the handle, his body instinctively using the momentum for a counterattack, but he was too slow. The moment he raised the sword, a pair of big jaws closed around his side, biting down hard. Cor choked on a scream and the world became fuzzy, the sword dropped out of his hand and he would have stumbled if the coeurl hadn't such a tight hold on him. He only distantly heard the angry roaring. Something crashed into him, as he was flung to the side, teeth being ripped out of his side and he fell. He listened to the vicious snarling, electricity filled the air and exploded in loud crackles. Whimpering was followed by ear splitting ripping sounds, before silence descended once more.

The bloody face of his coeurl pushed itself into his field of vision, its eyes roaming over his body, carefully nosing at his side. Cor groaned, almost missing the low keening sound emanating from the beast beside him. His consciousness swam in and out of focus, but the coeurl roared into his face, jolting him awake again. "'m not asleep," he mumbled, feeling the coeurl lie down next to him. When he didn't react it turned its gigantic head and snarled loudly. Cor watched it, confusion clouding his mind. "..what?" The beast growled, nudging him and almost rolling over him. Cor blinked, before he slowly brought his good hand up, burying it deep into the coeurl's fur. It slowly rolled to its feet again, giving him enough time to hold on tighter. It set off in a trot afterwards, careful enough not to lose its precious cargo, but the urgency was still clear in its movements. Cor didn't know where it was going. They weren't far from Insomnia now, but he didn't expect it to head straight for the city. So far he had assumed it would leave him, once they hit the borders, maybe it wasn't headed for the city at all. Cor's head swam while he buried his face into the thick coat of his companion, breathing through the pain that ran through his whole body with each jolt. The beast was running, its big paws thudding against the dusty ground, while Cor slowly bled all over its fur. He held on.

When it felt him slipping it changed directions abruptly, trying to jolt him awake enough and keeping him from falling off at the same time. "sorry," he mumbled, getting a deep rumble in response.

Cor tensed when he realized that the coeurl indeed was heading for the city, bright lights coming into view. He tried to sit up. "can't just run in there...," he tried to protest, but he was wrong. The coeurl could, in fact, just run in there. The crownsguard didn't take too lightly to the presumed attack. They opened fire the minute they saw the gigantic beast run towards the city. Small hitches in its steps told Cor that it had been hit, but it just kept going. He heard people screaming, yelling in surprise and the unmistakable sound of fired weapons. The coeurl snarled, roaring as if it didn't understand why they were firing at it, why they thought it was a threat when it didn't have time to stop.

His focus was slipping and he didn't have the strength to hold on anymore. What irony, dying right on the doorsteps. He snorted into its pelt while it bounded through the city, obviously headed for the citadel. It came to a sliding and panicked stop on the steps when it realized that it couldn't just bowl through the wall of guards positioned outside the entrance, their weapons poised. The coeurl tried to turn around, but the movement proved too much for Cor, his grip was slipping and no matter how panicked the beast jerked against the movement, he slid down its back, hitting the stairs with a painful thud, the guards chosing that moment to fire. The coeurl snarled angry, positioning itself on top of Cor, but no bullet reached them. Cor saw the faint blue shimmer of a kingsglaive's magic shield, before he finally lost consciousness.

The 'glaive stood between the beast and the guards, hands raised against the onslaught of bullets, yelling for them to stop. The coeurl's ears were flattened against its head, its teeth bared and his whiskers whipping around threateningly, while it tried to shield Cor from further damage. The fighting stopped, more 'glaives had joined the protective barrier, creating a circle around the snarling beast. The first 'glaive whipped around as soon as it was safe, taking the steps back down in a hurry. "Where have you been?" she yelled and the coeurl growled, getting up and stumbling to the side as she got closer, revealing the prone body beneath it, before it let itself fall to the side, flicking its tail.

"Shit, somebody get me a medic," she yelled over her shoulder, while skidding to a halt next to Cor. He wasn't dead yet, so she pushed her hands desperately down on the sluggish bleeding wound, while her eyes flickered to the coeurl. There was no way of telling whose blood was staining its fur, if it was Cor's or its own, she didn't know. She frowned, wondering why he didn't shift back. When the medic took over and carried Cor away, the coeurl wanted to follow, but as soon as it got to its feet several weapons were cocked. She put her hand on its shoulder and it flinched, making several people yelp in surprise and firing shots. The coeurl stumbled with a pained whine, knocking her down with him, before she could berate anyone for it. A scuffle ensued while she tried to wiggle out from under the mostly dead weight. The coeurl huffed and rolled to its side with a grunt. "Stop shooting for fucks sake, he's one of ours!" The following silence was heavy, only disrupted by the distinct limping sound of the king. "What's all this about?" he asked, taking in the scene from above the steps. Crowe jumped to her feet and raced up the steps before anyone could stop her. She came to a halt in front of Regis, kneeling down, her head bowed. "Your majesty, they don't understand. We've lost companions a few months ago. One just made it back home and he needs help." Her shoulders were tense. If the king decided to jump to conclusions, giving permission to shoot the threat, she would lose her friend again. Her hands balled to fists, while she awaited his judgement. Regis' eyes roamed over the scene again, watching disgruntled guards trying to push their way through the few kingsglaive standing in the way. The massive beast of a coeurl was panting heavily, lying on the steps, surrounded by blood. He knew it had brought back a severely wounded Cor. Their eyes met, and his breath hitched. This wouldn't be the first legend coming to live. "What do you need?" he addressed the 'glaive kneeling in front of him.

"Privacy, medical help and maybe a little magical expertise?" she said sheepishly. The coeurl huffed as if it had heard her words. The king raised his eyebrow, but he nodded. "You heard Kingsglaive Altius, return to your posts." He addressed the crownsguards. "But your majesty," someone tried to protest, but stopped when Regis' narrowed eyes hit him.

"Can it walk?" he asked, only to watch the coeurl trying to get its paws underneath it and coming to a swaying stand. It bowed its head, as if to pay him respect, but that only made him sad. "I think the 'glaives training court might be suitable, what do you think?" Crowe's eyebrows drew together in thought while her eyes stayed on the coeurl. "Yes, they might," she smiled tentatively and together they slowly made their way through the citadel. It was a weird procession, the king, his 'glaives and a coeurl, leaving bloody paw prints all over the marble floors. Nobody stopped them. "I have questions," Regis said. "Yes, your majesty," she turned her head to the stumbling form of her friend. "Me too."

A healer met them at the entrance to the open court, watching their approach warily. They piled into the court where the coeurl flopped down unceremoniously, trying to look as non-threatening as it could, while simultaneously hiding the fact that it was on its last leg. "I am not a vet," the healer said, earning himself a deep rumbling huff from the beast and an angry look from the ‘glaives. "Just make sure he doesn't die," Crowe snapped, stepping closer, making a circle around it, inspecting it and looking for clues. "I am not sure why he isn't turning back," she raised her eyes to Regis. "It might be possible that he is stuck," she winced, but her attention snapped back to the coeurl when it snarled and hissed at the healer touching its neck. "Nyx!" she scolded him and he flattened his ears, as she stepped closer, pushing the healer away to inspect what had her friend in even more pain. There was a collar hidden beneath the fur. It was tight with no room to spare, the skin around it was an angry mixture of badly healed scars, still red and new. She felt the magic pulsing through the collar and her eyes widened. "I am so sorry," she whispered as she pulled the big head closer to hers, lying her forehead against the beasts. It whined and she lifted her head again, meeting Regis' eyes. He stepped closer. "The collar will only come off if we push magic into it... I think," she said, her eyes pointed to the floor in uncertainty. "It certainly feels like it," he conceded, making her look up again. "Okay," she nodded and placed her hands on the collar, waiting for Regis to do the same. He had just placed his hands 90 degrees apart from hers as a disgruntled man hurried through the door, coming to an abrupt halt at the scene. "What are you doing, your majesty?" He asked indignantly, his eyes flickering over the assembled 'glaives. "Helping my people, what does it look like, Clarus?" the king replied distractedly, earning himself a surprised murmur. His eyes lifted to meet Crowe's over the twitching ears of the coeurl, static was building in anticipation, but it didn't lash out. They pushed and the coeurl bared its teeth, growling and bringing out its claws in a show of restlessness. While it tried to keep its head still, his hind paws scrabbled restlessly at the ground. A whine escaped his throat, followed by a painful yip. It lost control for a moment, trying to break away, too overwhelmed by the sensation. Both magic users kept going. They pushed more and more magic into the collar, trying to sever the connection that held it together. Sweat was building on their brows at the unexpected resistance. They kept pushing. The tail was flicking against the ground in a dull thud, vibrating through the ground and a raw yell of misery escaped its throat, paws being lifted and put down again in slow succession. They held tight, even as its legs buckled under the pressure, only its head lifted. The hairs on its neck were bristling, static building up. As the collar fell away, smoldering, the coeurl couldn't stop itself anymore. It roared angry in freedom. Everybody had clutched their hands over their ears by the time the roar died down, replaced by a miserable whine. It took a few steps, bumping into the king and making him stumble backwards, before it collapsed to the ground.

"Why aren't you turning back?," Crowe whispered. The coeurl snarled, its tail whipping weakly from side to side. The healer stepped back in, having fetched a big bucket of water, that he used to clean the blood away now without hesitation. When the coeurl bared its teeth to him, he just did the same, earning him a huff in response. The water revealed that actually very little of the blood was the coeurl's. It had clawmarks down its flank, multiple gunshot grazes, but only two had actually hit their target. He was still a mess. Scars peppered his back and one of his paws looked badly swollen. The healer set to work, while Crowe kneeled in front of the coeurl's head. "What is keeping you, Nyx," she asked worriedly, combing through his fur. He rumbled lightly in response. One of the 'glaives stepped closer, clearing his throat.

"Maybe it's been too long, maybe Ramuh has claimed his spirit, granting him the freedom of his soul." She looked up, watching him with calculating eyes.

"We need to call the rain for him," another stepped forward. Crowe got up from her kneeling position, and nodded. "Okay, gather the people from Galahd," she said, turning to the king who was still standing by, watching them. She bowed deeply. "Please stay and bear witness, your majesty." It was a bold movement. She knew the ritual was very sacred and only few outsiders had ever been allowed to stay, her being one of them. But he had called them his people, he had included them in a way very few ever did, he had extended a helping hand without hesitation and she felt the need to thank him for it. He deserved to know, he was a good king. Regis inclined his head.

They gathered at dawn, many of the refugees had come to take part in the ritual. The healer had cared for the wounds, getting snarked and grumbled at by Nyx over and over again, but he had done his job well. Everything else would have to wait. After that, the coeurl had stayed where it was, watching the preparations with weary, exhausted eyes. Waiting.

They painted deep blue patterns onto his fur, making him huff in annoyance. He kept still, but his patience and energy was wearing thin. The king returned alone, taking place at the outskirts of the circle, just as the ritual started. They had strategically placed candles around the coeurl, sitting themselves in-between and for some time, all that happened was the melodical swell of a hundred voices, humming to a long forgotten script. It was raw and natural, calling to the rain, calling to the storm. Dark clouds gathered above them and a dark rumbling answered their prayers in the distance. Wind picked up quickly, ruffling their hairs and racing though the fur of the beast, its whiskers crackling with electricity in response. Nyx' eyes were open and awake, shining full of life. Rain started to fall, painting his whole coat blue, before washing away the paint completely. His ears flicked nervously and he slowly got to his paws, staring at the sky. A rumble built inside his chest and when the sky lit up, he roared. It echoed between the towers of the citadel before it was carried away by the storm. A deep yearning sound filled the court, reflecting from the rocks, before lightning descended down on them. The candles burst from the hits, being the sole targets of the thunderbolts. The wind stopped and silence spread over the court, as the coeurl took a stumbling step. It bowed to the heavens, whiskers crackling with electricity, mimicking the godly encounter they had just witnessed, hitting the same candles again. It swayed to the side. Its fur was retreating, the limbs changing, teeth shrinking and moments later a very battered looking 'glaive stood in the middle of the circle. His uniform was ruined, ripped and to big for his thin frame, his beard was scruffy and his hair a wild mess. Regis met his eyes, it was the same grayish blue as the coeurls. Exhaustion and pain was buried deep in them. The 'glaive bowed slightly, acknowledging him, before he turned away and crumpled to the floor unconscious.

Nyx slept for several days, giving his body time to rest. What the dense fur of the coeurl had hidden, had become painfully clear once clad in its human skin again. He was worryingly thin, deeply exhausted, one of his hands was a mess - broken fingers that had never gotten a chance to heal properly had cracked and split and there was only so much the kingly magic was able to do. His body was peppered with scars that spoke of a history of torture and abuse. Nobody knew how the scars the collar had left would affect his human form.

When he woke, sunlight was streaming through the big windows of the infirmary, dousing his body with its warmth. For several moments all he did was breathe. He felt out his body, unfamiliar after months living in the shift. He lifted his good hand in bewilderment, spreading his fingers. He had fingers.

"Yes, you have fingers now," a deadpan voice said from beside his bed. He turned his head around slowly and started to grin widely. Cor was looking back at him, his arm was casted and in a sling, there was an IV pole right next to him, his posture stiff in the uncomfortable looking seat.

"So, you're not dead yet," Nyx threw Cor's own words from weeks ago back at him, making the other snort.

"So I've been told."

"The name's Nyx Ulric."

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the upcoming [Nyx Ulric Week](https://nyxulricweek.tumblr.com/) and another shifter!fic but because it's my first fanfiction I didn't have the patience to wait. Thanks to all the people who endured my enthusiasm and constant bugging of "do you want to read a part? Awesome, here take it!". 
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](https://whumpershaven.tumblr.com) if you ever want to chat.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Packmates Lost and Found](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16588802) by [aravenwood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aravenwood/pseuds/aravenwood)




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